Building My Brand (and yours)

Building My Brand (and yours)

In 2013 I signed my first book deal and as the year comes to a close I also went to my very very first photo shoot. Okay, so it was just headshots nevertheless that was major for me.

I wasn’t sure if I needed a professional photographer or not. My husband offered to shoot the photos for me since he has a pretty nice camera. Tough decision, right? Let the hubs shoot and save a few bucks or get some really great professional shots that I can send out with my author’s bio besides all the really great selfies I have onInstagram. In the end I decided to go with thepro since I am building my brand (whatever that means).

Me after the photo shoot

I’m sure that you’ve seen at least one episode of a reality show where someone chatters aimlessly about building or protecting their brand while simultaneously slapping someone or cussing someone out. Now, if you’re like me, you’ve rolled your eyes at the television and thought, how ridiculous you’re a person not a brand. However, as authors we are a brand. We are our own brand and we must build it, promote it, and protect.

I first realized that I was building a brand when the publishing company asked me to complete atip sheeta few weeks ago. It was hard for me to come up with a few sentences to sell my book and ultimately sell me. It dawned on me that I was in the process of becoming a brand–I didn’t buy into it though.

This week I was confronted with the notion of building a brand when I stumbled upon a few meaty discussions in several Facebook readers and authors groups about book promotion etiquette and interacting with readers. As I probed into the matter I was reminded that now is the time for me to rally support around the book and build my brand.

Maybe I am a tad bit naive and overzealous, maybe I take the Word too literally, but I expect that as I lift up and magnify Christ through my work He will draw people to me and bless the work of my hands. I mean John the Baptist preached in the wilderness way before Zuckerberg thought of Facebook and people came to the woods to see what was going on.

I’m no fool though. I listened to what other authors recommended and I looked into the matter.

What does it take to build a brandand what is it that I need to do to build my brand? I don’t think the situation is any clearer for me except that I’m supposed to be an expert on something and that I’m supposed to have a message. I don’t consider myself to be an expert on anything, actuallyI am nothing without Christ. That’s who I am that’s my message and I don’t know if that’s enough to turn into a brand, but that’s me. That’s what I believe. That’s why I write.

What do you think it takes to build a brand? What are you doing to build, preserve, or renovate your brand?